Most of us are nervous about meeting new people. We wonder what we should talk about. We worry about making a good impression. We sometimes think it would be easier to have a root canal than break into a group of strangers who are already talking.

For these reasons and more when it comes to networking you can never get too much good advice. That's why; I'd like to recommend another book on networking: Make your Contacts Count by Anne Baber & Lynn Waymon.

Unlike most books, Make Your Contacts Count begins with a fourteen-page self assessment which will help you evaluate your networking skills. Don't worry about being overwhelmed with questions - the assessment is divided into sections and all you have to do is check off the frequency of your activities. Once you've completed this assessment you'll have a better idea of what's working and what you need to work on.

Make Your Contacts Count covers a full spectrum of networking skills from figuring out what to talk about to following up effectively to connecting with colleagues at conferences. My favorite section is Chapter 14, Listen Generously which provides advice on how to avoid clichés, the art of making people feel comfortable and how to make conversations more personal.

Even the most accomplished networker will pick up a technique or two from Make Your Contacts Count. Between the covers you'll learn how to:

• Build trust in a new relationship
• Comfortably join a group of talking strangers
• The benefits of being quiet
• Describe what you do in an interesting way
• Find a way to follow-up with new contacts
• Receive more referrals
• Make the most of your association memberships
• And more

Clear, concise and filled with practical advice, Make Your Contacts Count will help you go beyond making connections. This book focuses on building long-term mutually beneficial relationships. And that's what good networking is really all about.